1965 Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England
Captains: Byron Nelson (US), Harry Weetman (GB)
USA 19 ½ - GB 12 ½
Team USA 
Ireland's Christy O'Connor
America's Dave Marr plays out of a bunker The first two days of foursomes and Four-Ball proved exciting for spectators at Royal Birkdale Golf Club. The Americans held a slim 9-7 advantage heading into the singles, but dominated with 10 of the final 16 points. The difference was the U.S. Team's ability to convert necessary points through deft short games and handling Royal Birkdale's final six holes. The Americans mastered the "punch" shot low into an ever-present wind while the British team preferred to lob short approaches into the air. Royal Birkdale member and Professional Golfers Association vice president Brian Park promoted the matches through his personal donation of 11,000 (pounds). The result was an expanded venue for spectators that included a hospitality pavilion, a large tented village, trade exhibition and expanded souvenir programs, and scorekeepers carrying individual match results on standards. The U.S. Team arrived handicapped when Johnny Pott ruptured a muscle in his lower back during practice and was sidelined. And, 1964 U.S. Open Champion Ken Venturi had surgery early in 1965 for circulatory problems in his hands. Yet, the Americans were dominant in the singles when it mattered most.
 Great Britain |
 United States |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Foursomes: Morning | |||
| L Platts & P J Butler | 0 | J Boros & A Lema (1 hole) | 1 |
| D C Thomas & G Will (6 & 5) | 1 | A Palmer & D Marr | 0 |
| B J Hunt & N C Coles | 0 | W Casper & G Littler (2 & 1) | 1 |
| P Alliss & C O'Connor (5 & 4) | 1 | K Venturi & D January | 0 |
| Foursomes: Afternoon | |||
| D C Thomas & G Will | 0 | A Palmer & D Marr (6 & 5) | 1 |
| P Alliss & C O'Connor (2 & 1) | 1 | W Casper & G Littler | 0 |
| J Martin & J Hitchcock | 0 | J Boros & A Lema (5 & 4) | 1 |
| B J Hunt & N C Coles (3 & 2) | 1 | K Venturi & D January | 0 |
| Four-Ball: Morning | |||
| D C Thomas & G Will | 0 | D January & T Jacobs (1 hole) | 0 |
| L Platts & P Butler (halved) | ½ | W Casper & G Littler (halved) | ½ |
| P Alliss & C O'Connor | 0 | A Palmer & D Marr (6 & 4) | 1 |
| B J Hunt & N C Coles (1 hole) | 1 | J Boros & A Lema | 0 |
| Four-Ball: Afternoon | |||
| P Alliss & C O'Connor (2 holes) | 1 | A Palmer & D Marr | 0 |
| DC Thomas & G Will | 0 | D January & T Jacobs (1 hole) | 1 |
| L Platts & P J Butler (halved) | ½ | W Casper & G Littler (halved) | ½ |
| B J Hunt & N C Coles | 0 | K Venturi & A Lema (1 hole) | 1 |
| Singles: Morning | |||
| J Hitchcock | 0 | A Palmer (3 & 2) | 1 |
| L Platts | 0 | J Boros (4 & 2) | 1 |
| P J Butler | 0 | A Lema (1 hole) | 1 |
| N C Coles | 0 | D Marr (2 holes) | 1 |
| B J Hunt (2 holes) | 1 | G Littler | 0 |
| D C Thomas | 0 | T Jacobs (2 & 1) | 1 |
| P Alliss (1 hole) | 1 | W Casper | 0 |
| G Will (halved) | ½ | D January (halved) | ½ |
| Singles: Afternoon | |||
| C O'Connor | 0 | A Lema (6 & 4) | 1 |
| J Hitchcock | 0 | J Boros (2 & 1) | 1 |
| P J Butler | 0 | A Palmer (2 holes) | 1 |
| P Alliss (3 & 1) | 1 | K Venturi | 0 |
| N C Coles (3 & 2) | 1 | W Casper | 0 |
| G Will | 0 | G Littler (2 & 1) | 1 |
| B J Hunt | 0 | D Marr (1 hole) | 1 |
| L Platts (1 hole) | 1 | T Jacobs | 0 |
- Don't ever question my Ryder Cup desire, says Furyk
- Woods has some ideas on how to fare better in the future
- Excuses for U.S. Ryder loss are wrong, says Ferguson
- No quick fixes for U.S. Ryder Cup team, says Lehman
- Teamwork, not team spirit, was a problem, Toms says
1969: Tony Jacklin and Jack Nicklaus on the final hole of the final day.
Nearly eighty years ago, English seed merchant and entrepreneur Samuel Ryder founded the Ryder Cup. Learn how it all began.